Patagonia 2015

Villa O'Higgins is a small town in southern Chile, located 220 km south of Cochrane. Founded in 1966 and named after the Chilean independence 'hero' Bernardo O'Higgins, it is the capital of the O'Higgins commune of Capitán Prat Province. Villa O'Higgins is the most southern village at the Carretera Austral and the 1st 'turning point' on our trip. The final 120 km of the Carretera were completed southwards from Puerto Yungay in 2000. It's the gateway to the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. In the summer a regular boat service takes passengers from Villa O'Higgins across the O'Higgins / San Martín Lake to Candelario Mansilla, from where it is possible to cross the border into Argentina (direction El Chaltén) via a footpath.

Lago Cisnes north of Villa o'Higgins, Southern Chile

Rio del Salto near Puente Mellizo, south of Cochrane, Patagonia.

Carretera Austral near Caleta Tortel See PiP for color!

......and in color.

Carretera Austral near Caleta Tortel. Rio Baker is Chile's largest river considering discharge. The river flows out of Bertrand Lake, which is fed by General Carrera Lake. It runs along the east side of the Northern Patagonian Ice Field and empties into the Pacific Ocean, near the town of Caleta Tortel. The catchment size is 26726 km², the mean flow is 870 m³/s. See PiP for color!

Carretera Austral south of Cochrane, valle Rio Baker

Rio Baker

Rio Baker and Rio Nef

Lago Negro in the foreground, Lago General Carrera in the background, Carretera Austral between

south coast of Lago General Carrera